Charlestons on the Go: Visit With Uncle Chuck in Culebra

Bob and I decided to treat ourselves with a trip to see my Uncle Chuck in Culebra, Puerto Rico.
I wrote the text separately so sometimes it might say here's a picture, but you'll have to look below for the picture.

To begin our trip, we drove to Orlando, FL and stayed the night at a Hawthorne Suites near the airport. They had a wonderful suite for us that made us want to invite everyone over for a party or something. With the room, we got an evening snack of soup, salad, and two drinks (beer or wine or pop), a nice hot breakfast in the morning, free shuttle to and from the airport, and free parking while we were gone, all for a very reasonable price. Here are some pictures of our suite.

The next morning we took a jet via Jet Blue Airlines to fly to Puerto Rico. We had a very nice flight. We took a taxi from the airport to Fajardo, PR to catch a ferry to Culebra. While waiting for the ferry we visited with a couple from Missouri who were getting information about going on the ferry to Culebra for a day. They were going another time. We had a nice visit.

We also met a woman going home to Culebra, and she knew my Uncle Chuck. We later had some fun times with her. Later.

Here are some pictures of the ferry, some at our first night, some taken from the dock as it left one time, and one as we left.

The first night we were met by the owners of the Palmetto Guest House and Chuck. We went to the guest house and registered, etc. and then Chuck took us to Mamacita’s for a nice snack in a nice local restaurant. We also met a man, an artist, who happened to be born in the same hospital in Hawaii as my uncle. Chuck drove us around a little that night before we called in a day.

The next morning Chuck picked us up and took us to breakfast at a “coffee shop” near by. Then he drove us all around the island and showed us many of the sights and local spots. We had lunch at a local bar and restaurant and had a delicious hamburger. But the most fun was having Chuck’s friend, Amy Jo, join us for a hamburger, but she also played her guitar and sang songs she had composed. She also told us the stories that led to her writing the songs she sang. It was a most entertaining afternoon.

Here is a website with Amy Jo's pictures and music.

amyjosings.com/songs.php

Later that evening we went to another local restaurant that Chuck likes where the owner cooks your order, but you wait on yourself and clean up after yourself.

Here is Barbara Rosa’s.

One of Chuck’s hobbies is watching the skies and events that happen in the sky. That may come from his past experience and reliance on navigation using the stars. He checks a website that predicts stellar and or man made object events. So a couple of nights he had information about watching what he called iradium flares. We watched a certain part of the sky at the appointed time and watched a satellite go across the sky and all of a sudden it became more visible for a second or two. The satellite reflected the sun’s light for a brief time and was visible. Others who were around would join the viewing. Chuck’s friends often greet him with what’s up in the sky tonight because they all know he keeps up with events in the sky.

To end the night we went to a local grocery store to buy breakfast food for our mornings in Culebra.

The next day, Chuck took us to Amy Jo’s bike rental shop so we could rent bicycles. After a nice lunch at one of Chuck’s favorite places with a great view of the bay, Dingy Dock, we took off on our bicycles for a couple of hours, checking out some more of the island and its beauty.

Here are some pictures of the view from the Dingy Dock.

Here are some pictures of our bicycle trip.

That night we went to a birthday party for 4 of Chuck’s friends. We met a lot of his friends and enjoyed pleasant conversations with a variety of people. Bob even got to go for a sail with one of Chuck’s friends who likes to give rides in his sailboat at night. Here are some pictures of them. It was fun to meet so many of Chuck’s friends.

The next morning we still had the bicycles so we rode for about an hour or hour and a half before returning them.

Then Chuck picked us up and we drove out to Flamenco Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches known. I know why it is and I think everyone can agree. One of the landmarks is an old tank left after the military left. Notice it is painted and it is painted by Chuck’s artist friend who was born in Hawaii. Enjoy these pictures.

That night we were invited by one of Chuck’s good friends,Richare, to have supper, a little Christmas party, and a movie night. He cooked meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and salad. WE took ice cream sandwiches. It was all very good. Then we saw a movie chosen by the men, but it was OK. Then we were treated to music from one of Richard’s CD’s. He plays guitar, and has been in bands, has recording equipment, and has recorded music from his bands and burned CD’s with his music. It was fun to hear his music, and it was good. We had a lot of fun. And Richard even presented us with a gift of a CD with a compilation of some of his favorite movie songs.

Here’s a picture of the guys.

Our last day on Culebra, we had a brunch at the Dingy Dock. After wards Bob and Chuck played a game of chess. We discovered we all have chess in common. Chuck is a pretty good player and even though Bob is also a very good player, Chuck did get Bob into checkmate.

We said good bye to Chuck and we boarded the ferry to return to the main land of Puerto Rico. After waving good bye a few times and watching Chuck leave, all of sudden I looked up and there was Chuck on the ferry. He decided he wanted to join us on the ferry and point out sites between Culebra and the mainland. I’m glad he did. Then we did say our farewells in Fajardo.

We were picked up by taxi and drove to a nice motel in the Condoda area, a tourist area about half way between the airport and San Juan. This hotel was right next to a beautiful beach although we did not have a view in our room. We did walk on the beach before we went out for supper and a Marguerita.

The next morning we got a taxi to the airport and had a nice smooth plane ride with Jet Blue back to Orlando. Jet Blue is a wonderful airline. In addition to being reasonably priced, they allow one free checked bag, and free drinks and delicious snacks (as many as you like.)

When we arrived in Orlando the hotel shuttle picked us up and we were shortly on our way back to Ormond Beach to enjoy the rest of our visit with Charlene this month and next month.

Hotel in Orlando.
1.

4. Visiting with a couple while waiting for the ferry at Culebra.

Storm while waiting for the ferry in Fajardo.

The ferry at night, about 6:00 pm.

Ferry info.

It was a very rough ride on the ferry but it was air conditioned and it was so bumpy we did not get motion sickness. It was like riding a really big motor boat.

First morning Chuck picked us up to take us to breakfast and have a tour of the island in his car in the background. Yes he made it into a convertible.

Looking toward the airport on Culebra from a hill.

View from inside Chuck's convertible.

The deep bay on Culebra.

We saw a few iguanas.

Melones Beach, a small beach near the downtown area. It used to be good for snorkeling but the coral is pretty much dead now. We didn't do any snorkeling partly because of that. I do understand you can still see wildlife though.

Pretty flowers.

Amy Jo at her bike shop where we rented bikes. She also sang lots of songs she wrote.

Lunch at one of Chuck's favorite places. Amy Jo joined us there and sang many of her songs for us.

The view from the restaurant.

The ferry leaving during a beautiful sunset.

Ate here one night.

Went to a birthday party here on night.

View from Dinghy Dock, one of Uncle Chuck's favorite places and now also one of ours.

Riding bicycles overlooking a beautiful cove.

Same cove. Notice the kite surfer going one direction and the wind surfer going the other.

I did not go down that road.

Old dock. NOtice the pole in the right bottom corner.

Uncle Chuck burned his intials into the pole with a magnifying glass and the sun's rays. How many of you have tried that?

The view of the bay from Dinghy Dock bar and restaurant.

Bob got a night sail ride on this sail boat. He loved it. I didn't go.

Amy Jo singing a song about Christmas on Flamenco Beach.

Another piece of artwork by Chuck. He also burned this on a board using the sun and a magnifying glass. It represented heaven, hell, and life.

Flamenco Beach pictures. So beautiful.

Tank left over from the military being there and a local artist painted it.

Christmas party with Chuck's friends. Do they look like a motley crew?

Chuck won.

Good bye, Culebra.

Chuck surprised us by joining us on the ferry ride back to Fajardo. He continued his role as tour guide. It was so much fun to visit him and meet all his friends and experience a part of his life.